Safety check or draft cutter.



A. BESN. SFETY CHECK 0R DRAFT GUTTER. APLIGATOE E'LED AR. 21, 1913.

Patented Aug. 5, 1913.

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ADOLPHUS E. DEASON, OF POTEAU, OKLAHOMA, ASSIGNORVOF ONE-FOURTH TOROBERT S. IBRIDGMN, PSTEAU, OKLAHOMA.

SAFETY CHECK OR DRAFT CUTTER.

i ,ocasaao .i e ma @from may concern Be it known that I. AnoLrHUs E. DEAsoN'. a citizen of the United States, 'residing at. Poteau, in the vcounty of Le Flore and State ot pOklahoma, have invented` new and useful Improvements in Safety Check .or Draft Cutters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a safety check or draft cutter, the object of the invention being to provide a cutter for use in conjunction with a special form of check, draft or other similar negotiable instrument provided with a table for indicating the maximum amount for which the instrument when filled out is valid, whereby the check or other instrument may be marked to in dicate its maximum value in a ready and convenient manner and in such a way as to prevent the amount of ligures on the check from being raised to a highervaluation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cutter of the character described having an adjustable cutter blade, whereby the check may be severed from its stub and marked to indicate its maximum value with facility.

In the accompanying drawing, .Figure 1 is a view of an open check book showing the cutter inl position for use. Fig. 2 is a view of the check and its stub, showing the check cut away to indicate its maximum valuation.

Figs. 3 and 4. are end and side views of the cutter. Fig. 5 is a transverse section thereof. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the sliding blade. i y

Inasmuch as the check and cutter are especially designed for use in connection with each other, I will proceedto describe the construction and mode of use of the check, as well as the mode and use of the cutter.

As shown," the'check comprises a body 1l having an ordinary check form printed thereon, with proper spaces for the place, date, number, name of the bank or other institutionon whichthe check is drawn, together with properly designated spaces for the names of the payee and pay-er, and the amounts expresse in words and figures. The printed matter upon the body may, of

course vary to adapt' it for use as a .draft p or other similar instrument. The body- 1 is provided with a stub 2, and arrangeduat the intersection of the body and stub 1s a table 3 containing valuation amounts, said Specification of Letters yatent.

Application filed March 21, 1913.

Patented Aug. 5,1 91 3. Serial No. 755,981.

table constituting a portion along which the check body is designed to be separated from the stub in such manner as to leave a margin expressing in figures the maximum amount for which the check is valid. The stub may contain any suitable arrangement of `spaces and printed matter for the entrance of items respecting amounts brought forward, the amount for which the check is drawn, balances,"deposits and other mat# ter for keeping a record or memorandum.

The table 3 consists preferably of three ,rows of numerals. The rst `or right hand row bears the numerals from 1 150.20. in-

clusive, reading downward, the numerals 1 to l0 inclusive, being in regular order followed by the numerals 15 and 20. The second row or column of figures runs from 25 to 100, in regular order or progression, each numeral being van advance of 5 over the other. In the third row or columirat the left hand -side of the table the numerals run from 200 to 1000 in arbitrary arrangement, suc-h as may be found most convenient under dierent conditions of service. Of course the arrangement of the numerals in the rows and their values may be changed at will according to the character and extent in valuation figures which it is designed to have the valuation column adapted to express from minimum to maximum. The columns of gure receiving spaces, said lines being the gures therein are separated into transverse rows by transverselines, forming figure receiving spaces, said lines being preferably inclined at a suitable angle in a direction toward the bottom edge of the body of the check.

rThe cutter com rises a holderf preter- .ably consisting otp a single piece of metal bentupon itself to providesuperposed plates or leaves 5 and 6. The lower leaf 6 may 4be of somewhat greater length than the upper leaf 5 and have its end portions bent downwardly to provide guide or stop flanges rLto engage the upper and lower' edges of the stub 2, when the cutter is used .in connection; .with checks or drafts bound slngly in bo'k form. The upper leaf 5 is also ot' somewhat less width than the lower leaf 6, whereby 'the latter is provided with a projecting"sev ering edge 8. The leaves form an intervening guideWa-y 9 for a cutter blade 1Q. This blade'isprovided at its left hand edge with a guide liange 11 movable in a guide groove 12 formed by stamping up a portion of the leaf 5, whereby saidblade is guided positively in its movements and held from outward lateral displacement. The inner half of the blade, measuring from its longitudinal center, is

A.srlidable on the leaf or plate 6, vsaid plate having its outer half projecting laterally beso ythat one and the same blade may be used in conjunction with two or more alined holders andv be moved in guided connection between the same. In practice, where a single holder is used, this holder may be of a length corresponding to the length of the stub or depth of the table 3, as in the use of the cutter with checks bound singly in book form, but where each page of the check or draft book is printed to provide several checks and corresponding stubs, the holder and blade may be enlarged correspondingly or by using two or more holders the blade Y maybe adjusted from one to the .other for continuous use in separating i'fJo or more checks at a time from the boo.v The upper edge of the blade is provided with a V- shaped notch or /iecess 15 intersecting the guide surface 13 and permitting of the ready bending of the blade in forming the same. The outer half of the edgeof the upper blade is cut away on an incline to provide a cutting surface 16 adapted for coperation with the severing edge 8, and in the use of which the notch 15 permits, of the ready severance of the 7paper on two'different lines, at an angle to each other.

In the use of the cutter for severing the lled out cheolrandA simultaneously expressing the maximum'amount for which the check is valid,the holder is arranged as shown in Fig. 1 soas to bring the edge 8 along the left hand column in which the maximum value .figure is Ilocated and the blade is adj usted until it alines wit-h the inclined transverse line beneath such figure. By then grasping the body of the check and drawing the same downward and forward the check may be severed from the stub along the exposed portion of the edge 8, the surface 16 and-the longitudinal outer edge of the cutter blade,.as will be readily understood, leaving a portion ofthetable intact therewith, the maximum. value v.figure-of which will indicate the maximum value in dollars for which the check is valid. It will be understood, of

course, that the adjustability ofthe blade adapts it vto be arranged to bring its edge 1G below any particular' numeral iii ,any par-` ticular one of the columns, thus enabling the check to be severed from the stub with ease and facility. i

By employing a check or draft and a cutter of the character described the check may be provided with an ineradicable maximum value indicating device, without the necessity of employing complex auxilia/ry marl;- ing devices in order to indicate upon the check its maximum value, and an equal dogree of safety may be secured.

I f desired, and as shown, the check body may be provided with suitable warning inatter to indicate 'that it is valid only under certain conditions. In the present instance at the top of the check is printed the following warning This check will not be paid unless figures show in margin, while the and in contact with said plates and provided with a'flange engaging said groove, said blade having a longitudinal severing edge projecting beyond the severing edge of the holder and an oblique transverse cutting edge extending on a line intersecting said severing edge.

2. A cutter of the character described comprising a holder formed of a folded piece of material providing upper and lower plates, the lower plate having a projecting severing edge and the upper plate a guide groove, and a cutter movable on one side of its longitudinal center between said plates and having a flange engaging said groove, an oifset on the opposite side of its longitudinal center into the plane of the bottom plate, said offset portion of t-he blade being provided with a longitudinal severing edge,

a stop member at one end and an oblique cutting edge at its opposite end, said oblique cutting edge being arranged on a line intersecting the severing edges of the holder and blade.

In testimony whereof I affix iny signature 'in presence of two witnesses.

ADOLPHUS E. DEASON.

l/Vitnesses P. O. BRIDGMAN, F. E. OLINGER. 

